8 MILES (what happened to 7?)

I completed 8 miles today! IT. WAS. AWFUL.

I am so damn tired right now I can't even begin to explain it. Work is kicking my ass and the emotional exhaustion is taking a toll on my body. This last week I missed both of my short runs and all of my cross training (14 hour days at the office will do that to you). I hadn't run since my 7 miler last Sunday. That's right, I ran 7 miles last Sunday, but you didn't know about it because I didn't have time to update the blog. Such a travesty!

Those 7 miles last Sunday were blissful. I ran alone, which isn't my first choice, but I made it through okay. The first 2  miles were tough as usual but I got in a groove and before I knew it I was done.

7 miler stats:  7.00 miles / 1:34:52 / 13'33" per mile

The last time I ran 7 miles my average was 15'22"...............so much progress =)

And then there was today! Riverside literally kicked my tail. Sandy ran with me, thank God, because I don't think I would've made it 100 yards by myself. Not running for a whole week has a tendency to make your body say "WTF are you doing?" when you pick it back up again and try to run 8 miles. There was A LOT of walking today, and my average pace suffered because of it, but I finished! We got 2 miles in and I started telling Sandy every quarter mile or so "I'm not going to make it.......I can't do this.......I'm too tired.......my legs aren't working". I'm sure I was a real peach to run with today (sorry Sandy). Her response each and every time was "you've got this!". Every time she would say it I wanted to scream NO I DON'T! But she was right in the end. I kept pushing and eventually we finished. I have never felt that much physical exhaustion during a run. I have had to push through mental walls in the past and I've even had to push through not wanting to run at all. But today was different; today I had all the mental toughness in the world and I wanted to run, but my body was just not cooperating.

8 miler stats:  8.00 miles / 1:57:15 / 14'39" per mile

I haven't averaged over 14 minutes per mile in a long time so that is a tough pill to swallow, but you do what you have to do to finish, and today that meant frequent walking breaks.

Sandy was telling me about a grumpy cat pic she saw recently that made me laugh histerically and it also reminds me of us on our long runs. See if you can guess which on is me..............

My 6 miler in pictures

I didn't exactly stick to the training plan this week, but I did MOST of it, only lacked 2 miles!

Got up early Tuesday morning and ran 3 miles before catching a flight to Denver for work. On Wednesday I ran 1 mile at Red Rocks Amphitheater at 6,500 feet (yes, I was gasping for air the ENTIRE time). I was scheduled to run 2 miles on Friday, but I didn't land from Denver until 1:15 Friday morning and then worked until 7 pm. This fat girl's body was TIRED folks. Needless to say, there was zero running going on Friday.

BUT, I got my 6 miler in this morning.

Stats:  6.00 miles / 1:21:30 / 13'35" average

The last 6 mile run I completed was on October 16th, 2013 and I averaged 14'27" (more progress - slow and steady).

Today, I shall give you a recap of my 6 miles in pictures!
(Disclaimer - none of these pictures are actually of me)

MILE 1:

"This sucks"

MILE 2:

"Speaks for itself"

MILE 3:

"Warmed up now, here comes the motivational talk"

MILE 4:

"I love running"

MILE 5:

 

"I super duper LOVE running"

MILE 5.5:

"Why do I do this?"

MILE 6 (FINISH):

"Thank God it's over!!!"

MIND OVER MATTER Y'ALL

Running in my sleep

I know me! I know that when I travel for work I have the best intentions to get my runs in while I'm away. I also know that 9 times out of 10 it doesn't matter what my intentions are, it doesn't happen. I end up working late or there is some group dinner that I feel like I need to attend or I am sharing a rental car with two other people and I'm "stuck" doing whatever they're doing for the evening (all excuses, but valid ones so shut your pie hole).

With all that in mind, I got my cranky self up at 5:45 this morning, rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, laced up my running shoes, and hit the pavement to get my 3 miles in for today. I had a 9:45 flight this morning to Denver so I had time to get my run in before I had to get ready to head to the airport.

Grumpy cat was out in full force this morning y'all! It's a good thing I was the only one on the sidewalk at 6 in the morning because I might have throat punched the first person I saw just for good measure. I'm not exactly a morning person in case you hadn't already picked up on that.

Stats:  3.00 miles / 40:11 / 13'23" average

Not the greatest pace on the planet, but it's MY pace, and I ran 3 miles. BEFORE THE SUN CAME UP!

I swear I was half asleep for the first mile. I remember hearing Nike lady say 'one mile completed' and thinking "WHAAAAAT?"! It's like when you're driving home from work on autopilot and you pull in the driveway with no recollection of how you got there. This happens to me frequently in the car (scary, I know) but it's never happened to me while running. I could get used to that!

I walked a bit at the 1 mile mark as usual, but when I hit the 2 mile mark I felt good and just decided I might as well get it over with as fast as possible so I ran until I was done. Basically it was two full miles (less 100 yards walking give or take) of running! Yay me!!!

I leave you with this:

Good thing it was dark this morning =)

MIND OVER MATTER

I'm still alive and kicking

Damn it has been a rough couple of weeks on the running front.

Life and other responsibilities keep getting in the way of my training. I have completely stopped going to the gym because it's a miracle in and of itself if I can 2 out of my 3 training runs in during the week, much less cross training at the gym twice a week. I'm just going to have to settle for what I have time to do and right now the priority is running.

I got a 5 miler in today with Sandy. I think I'm becoming a tad bit dependent on her to get me through my long runs. It just isn't the same without someone beside you suffering through the same pain as you (although she looks like she's not even trying so I secretly hate her and her perky face) - not really, but damn!

Stats:  5.00 miles / 1:08:30 / 13'42" average pace

I have to keep reminding myself that less than a year ago I was happy with 5 mile runs at 14'28" per mile, so that's improvement. But like any self-serving human being (and I am one of those) I want INSTANT results. I don't want to have to work hard for this, come on!!!

Running truly is a mental game. I either have perfect cardio rythym and my legs are full of lead and achey or my legs feel great and I'm panting like a fat woman walking around Wal-Mart! There is no in between and it SUCKS!!!

I found an image that suits me pretty well right now. Before a run I will psych myself up with thoughts like 'you got this' and 'nothing is in your way but you' and all that other BS we tell ourselves to feel good. But then I hit the trail and it's like WHOA - back up the crazy train!

This is so me! The road is my castle and I am the queen (oh dear Lord I can't breath and my shins are the devil right now). Love this image, but I'm pretty sure my butt is bigger than hers...........

Heading to Denver this week for work so I plan to cross train at the gym tomorrow and get a short run in on Tuesday to loosen up the bod a bit. Wednesday I plan to head back to Red Rocks and hike the trail and run switchbacks at the amphitheater (pray for me). Then on Thursday morning if I feel like it I'll get up early (UGH) and hit the treadmill for a few miles (every little bit counts). This of course will not allow me to get in my two 3.5 mile training runs this week, but I gotta do what I can with my work schedule right now and not beat myself up about it (IT IS WHAT IT IS.............nothing more nothing less)!

Next weekend I will conquer a 7 mile long run because I must be ready for this half marathon. I will not fail (oh wait a second.....dry heaves).

MIND OVER MATTER